Stunning Ideas from the Philadelphia Design Home 2014

A few weeks back before the holiday decorations came tumbling out and everyone decked the halls, I joined a few of my fellow Philly Social Media Moms friends at the invitation of Comcast to tour Philadelphia’s Design Home and learn just how ‘smart’ some new homes are getting! From stunning decor to a bubbling pool to incredible futuristic features, it was certainly an eye-opening day. I’ve always loved soaking up other people’s home designs, so it felt good to be able to openly oogle the interior and have permission to snap pics as opposed to me following my friends around their house all day asking, “where did you get this?” “where did you find that?” (sorry to my very patient friends, it’s a sickness, it really is).

Just like the philosophy that you should try on designer clothing even if you can’t afford it, if you’re a design geek like me it’s also important to study high-end design to learn various principals and get ideas to use in your own home (ahem, to knock it off, ahem). So tour with me, tell me what you love, what you don’t love, and which features you’d want in a ‘smart’ home!

I, for one, would love a beautiful breezeway like this:

The entrance boasted an incredible chandelier in the foyer. It reminded me of a Downton Abbey dress or something; intricate beading, perfect draping; am I insane or could you see Lady Mary wearing this?

Off the foyer was a sitting room. Love the modern decor (and the edges of that wood table).

The kitchen was stunning. Check out these pretty terrariums against that gorgeous marble:

I didn’t get a great photo of the kitchen, but I did snap one of the giant t.v. against one wall. Can you imagine watching cooking shows and actually cooking along with them? This isn’t just a t.v. however, it’s like a command center from the future called Xfinity Home. You can control security features such as live streaming security video and comfort features such as your thermostat, lights, and more. One amazing feature is if you have a parent living alone, you can (with their permission, of course) set up motion sensors in their home or on cabinets so that if it doesn’t detect movement by a certain time (say, 7AM) it will alert you so you can check on them. You can do all these things from your a touchpad, mobile phone, or computer.

There were a few rooms I wanted to move into right then and there, and the living room was one of them. I can’t overstate how incredible large scale art can look behind a sofa. An notice how the sofa isn’t smushed against the wall, it’s floated out a bit. That’s a HUGE design trick in action right there that you can use in your own home; creates some space to ‘breathe’.

What took my breath away was the wall of doors that opens to the outside. Now, I don’t know if I could do that in the middle of summer because I’m bug-phobic, but on a temperate day in October it was perfection.

Plus, the cowhide chairs. Like woah.

A marble topped table would be really easy to DIY using the IKEA version and faux marbling the top.

We happened to visit on a 65 degree day (and it snowed the next, it was WILD) so we enjoyed lounging by the pool.

Outdoor living at it’s finest.

I mean, really. Who wouldn’t love this outdoor kitchen? Our lunch was catered at this very spot.

This outdoor light fixture is on my ‘MUST’ list for when I win the lottery.

The dining room was next. Amazingly, none of the PSMMers locked themselves in the wine closet. Though one of them may have stolen a gigantic tub of Nutella (just kidding, we kept it klassy, y’all.)

Never underestimate the power of a stop-in-your-tracks light fixture. This home had them EVERYWHERE.

Another DIY idea: tuck succulents into driftwoord or large manzita branches. They carried this theme in several rooms, including gold painted driftwood, so it lent a cohesive organic design element to the space.

The basement boasted an au-pair suite, home gym, bar, living room, mudroom, and bathroom. We learned about Comcast’s X1 and all it’s features- it takes t.v. watching to a new level with it’s enhanced search features and remote capability. You can create custom searches for each family member so you don’t have to scroll through thousands of channels just to find your favorites.

There was an alcove with a coffee bar and TWO walk-in closets (his and hers). But what took our breath away was the bathroom. The shower alone was practically the size of my living room.

There was also a sauna, soaking tub, and enough room to have a dance-off.

The girls’ room showed another DIY idea: a massive feather light fixture. Now, this would take a huge chunk of time to make and you may break the bank on feathers alone, but isn’t it fun?

However, it’s the curtains I fell in love with and want, like, yesterday.

On the last floor (yes, we are now at 4 levels) was the playroom. I tried to fit the wall-to-wall giraffe patterned carpet in my bag but it wouldn’t fit.

Love this idea for organizing headphones (and what a great way to keep the noise down, right?!)

We learned about Comcast’s wifi hotspots that any Comcast customer can use and are provided free for a few hours a week to those who don’t have Comcast (I’ve used them myself, in Starbucks and such). Makes staying connected so much easier!

Before I left, I took a peek at my dream office.

I came away totally energized and ready to tackle some design projects I’ve been putting off in my own home. Many thanks to Comcast #XfinityMoms for hosting us on a memorable trip into the future… wait, the future is now, so what are you waiting for? Which Design Home elements did you love?

Disclosure:I was provided a complimentary tour of the Philadelphia Design Home. I received a Samsung Tab4 from Comcast in exchange to facilitate my review of the Xfinity features in the home. Many thanks to Joey Fortman for coordinating the #XFinity Moms event!

Meet Carrie Higgins

Dreamer, thinker, + lemon squeezer; you'll usually find me clutching a mug of coffee, glue gun, fandeck of paint colors, and a child at any given time. This mom of two (and wife to one) loves to share freshly squeezed ideas for home and family. Join the adventure as we learn most lemons can indeed become lemonade-- with generous amounts of sweetness, perspective, and love.

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Hey there, welcome! I'm Carrie-- a dreamer, overthinker, + lemon squeezer, making it my mission to share fresh ideas for home and family. You'll usually find me clutching a mug of coffee, glue gun, fandeck of paint colors, and a child at any given time. Join the adventure as we learn most lemons can indeed become lemonade-- with generous amounts of sweetness, perspective, and love.